Fate／endless night
by Dark Master Schmidt
Summary: Darkfic. Something from Ryouga's past comes back to haunt him. It succeeds in destroying his life, causing most of the Nerima cast to be out for Ryouga's head, especially Ranma.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ranma belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. Fate/stay night and Tsukihime are the property of TYPE-MOON. No profit is gained from this work.

"..." Japanese speech.

"There's something I haven't told you... I'm a Magi."

After coming back into town one day, he became the cause of strange events in town.

And so, his life was changed.

Fate/endless night

By

Dark Master Schmidt

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Chapter 1: My Façade.

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I have a sister.

Yes, I have a sister. Is it shocking? No, perhaps it's just a bit surprising for most people. Even more so since I hardly speak of my past. Actually, no one seems to even care much, so there wasn't much of me to reveal anyway. Sometimes I wish someone would just ask. Sometimes I wish for someone to speak up, to show me that he or she actually cares. Sometimes I wish I could just pour it all, endlessly. I want to get rid of this weight on my shoulders. But all is for naught. I cannot speak. For every letter I spew, the more dangerous I will be. For myself, and for those whom I care for.

So at first, they ask of me who I am. And what do I answer them? Naturally, I should give them my name, but how am I supposed to do that when I cannot speak? Instead, I give them my self-created name. Hibiki Ryouga, I answer them. That's been my name for as long as I can remember. It's not completely a lie anyway, so it's good enough, I guess. I almost forgot when the last time I used my real name was a few times.

So anyway, who am I? My name is Tousaka Ryouga. I am a cursed Magi. Needless to say, I am lonely; nobody even recognizes me. The only thing they see is the illusion, Hibiki Ryouga, which I created. Oftentimes I fool myself into thinking that's who I am, as I enjoy the feeling of the normal life I'm currently leading. Well, maybe it's not that normal, but I am content. Then, I remember. I remember how this will not last. The real me will not allow this to go on, crushing all hope that was within me for a brief moment. I remind myself of the day I will leave here. I don't know when, but it will come eventually. It always does. As I grew older, I began to understand why he left me. At first, I loathed my father for abandoning me, but that emotion towards him crumbled with time.

My father... My memory of him is as solid as a rock. He is the former head of the Tousaka House and is a powerful Magi. Sometimes I long for his strong arms that used to embrace me. His warmth made me forget my pain, his voice soothing my soul. I'm not going to feel any of those again, though, because my father is dead. He wasn't able to survive the last Grail War, I guess. Makes me think of how vicious it might be.

My mother, I don't remember. Did I even meet her? The head of the Tousaka House now is more than likely my older sister.

My sister... There isn't a day that goes by without me thinking about her. I have a strong desire of seeing her again. I wonder if she remembers me... I can only hope. Knowing her, she's probably a formidable Magi now.

What is a Magi? To normal people, a Magi may simply be a magician, which is pretty far-fetched. Associating the Magi to mere magicians or sorcerers is laughable. A powerful Magi could probably defeat the strongest of martial artists with some difficulty, but we don't go around killing people left and right, either. Of course, no one is aware of our existence other than other Magi.

Suddenly, I feel a gentle cold breeze tickle my face, interrupting my train of thought. I open my eyes and shake my head slowly. Looking at the sky, I notice that the sun is coming up. I must have dozed off during one of my mental monologues. My arms shiver slightly. Sleeping next to a tree in the open is not a good idea. I forcibly stand up and widen my eyes in an attempt to shake my sleepiness off.

"Damn, it's cold today," I say to myself. Winter must be just around the corner. I didn't bother to make camp last night for some reason. Oh, yeah... I decided to sit down and think, and then I unexpectedly dozed off. I must have been very tired.

Where should I go now? I think to myself and take off randomly. Yesterday, I was looking for the Tendo dojo, so I guess I'll head there. Or at least, TRY to head there. I think I have gotten close, though. The surroundings here seem familiar...

I end up walking around for hours with no luck. By noon, I finally meet up with someone I'd rather not see.

"Hey, pork butt!" I hear a familiar shout behind me. From the cocky tone, and the lame insult, I already know who I'm going to see.

"Hey, Ranma," I turn around, ignoring his earlier comment. "What do you want?" I ask him almost immediately, before he could even open that dreadful mouth of his.

"A bit hostile today, aren't we?" Ranma crosses his arms and smiles amusingly at me.

"Eh, I guess you could say I woke up at the wrong side of bed," I answer him wryly. I guess I'm half serious about that. My back is still fucking killing me. I can't say I'm in the best of moods right now, either.

"Oh, yeah?" Ranma tells me with that stupid smirk of his. I can easily tell what he wants. Despite that relaxed stance of his, his eyes are fully on guard.

Snorting, I turn around and walk away. "I'm not in the mood for your games, Ranma."

"Ha?" Ranma yells his surprise. Well, I can't really blame him. Normally, I'd be more than happy to plant an iron fist into that idiot's face, but I have a lot on my mind right now to care about his insults. I hear him rush over to me and start walking besides me. "Whoa, Ryouga, you feeling okay?" I can faintly detect some concern in his voice, but I dismiss it.

"I'm fine. Just bugger off, will you?" I exclaim in annoyance. "I need to see Akane-san."

"That's wonderful, Ryouga! I'm sure you'll make it in a couple more weeks." Ranma snickers in amusement. Frowning my brows, I almost punched him in the guts with that comment, but I lash instead with a retort.

"Shut up, Saotome! How can you make fun of my suffering?" It's taking a lot of willpower on my part not to pound his face to the ground.

Before Ranma could reply, someone interrupts our heated conversation.

"Sorcerer Saotome! I have come to free my Pigtailed Goddess from your evil grasp!"

I immediately recognize the voice. I only know one person stupid enough to yell out embarrassing lines like those in public. I hear Ranma sigh in front of me, proving that I am right in my guess. I turn around towards the voice, only to have Kuno carelessly bump into me, sending him landing roughly on his ass.

"You scoundrel!" He points his bokken at me after getting back on his feet. "I am about to smite that sorcerer off the face of the planet! Move aside, Hibiki, or face my wrath! Justice demands it." I roll my eyes at his petty threats and demands. It's not my fault he got careless. Then suddenly, I get an interesting idea in my mind. It's as if I am being possessed by something. I wouldn't normally do this, but he ticked me off, and with my already foul mood, I decided to go along with it.

"Make me," I utter in a clear voice to the jester before me. I know that this is something that will come back biting me later, looking at Ranma's experience with Kuno, but I don't care right now. At this instant, I feel powerful. I feel like no one could stand up to me. It's a strange feeling, and I decide to ignore it.

I can almost feel Ranma gawking at me from behind. I briefly look behind me and confirm it. He must be thinking that I lost my mind protecting him, but let him think whatever he wants. I'm not doing this for him.

"It seems you have joined forces with that sorcerer. No matter, my might shall strike you both down! Have at thee!" Kuno rushes at me with bokken in hand. Once he got close enough, he delivers a swing at me with all his strength.

Have been prepared before hand, I have already anticipated his movement and caught his bokken in my hand with an iron grip, ignoring all pain resulting from such a reckless action. Wasting no time, I knee him in the stomach strongly, careful not to break any of his vital bones in the process. With Kuno out of breath, I follow suit with a nasty upper cut and send him soaring into oblivion.

"Wow," Ranma finally speaks for the first time since Kuno arrived. "I'm in shock, Ryouga. You didn't have to do that, you know. He'll just come back to bug you later now."

"Well, he kinda pissed me off." I shrug him off and go on my way. I kind of regret doing it already. Not because of his crazy antics that will surely come, but because of me beating on him... It might sound funny, but I don't like beating on weaker people. Did I just bully him? Is this fair? What the hell was I thinking?

Whatever... I try to shrug it off and keep walking. I don't want to think about it anymore; I'm starting to feel nauseous. Yet it keeps bothering me despite burying it deep in my mind.

I realize that someone is following me. I stop and turn around. I see Saotome standing there behind me, resting the back of his head in his hands.

"Why are you following me?" I'm starting to get annoyed.

"You've been acting weird, Ryouga." Ranma crosses his arms and says, "What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing..." I deny it. I don't think there is anything with me, anyway. Aren't I acting like I always do? "Why do you care anyway?"

"Humph, you can lie all you want, but you can't hide it from me. I can read you like a book." Ranma smirks and passes me. "I'm going home. You can tour Japan all you want." He walks at a steady pace with his arms still behind his head. This time, I follow him.

It's me who can read you like a book, idiot. I want to say it out loud, but I keep it to myself. I wryly smile at Ranma's back.

Eventually, we arrive at the Tendos'. I stand in the living room as Ranma makes himself comfortable on the couch. The awkward silence between us is unbearable and I decide to put an end to it.

"Where is everybody?" I finally break the silence and go ahead and sit with Ranma.

"Pop and Tendo-san went out somewhere, Akane is at a friend's house, and Nabiki said something about collecting debts earlier today. Dunno about Kasumi, probably shopping or something." Ranma answered casually, resting his left cheek on his fist.

"Oh." I don't know what to say. Akane isn't here, so... "I'm stuck with you then. This is just great."

Ranma snorts and stands up. "No one is forcing you to stay here. I'm gonna go take a bath." He quickly vanishes behind the walls.

I sigh and rest my head deeply backwards on the couch. My eyes feel heavy. It seems I didn't get a good rest last night. That's not surprising seeing how I slept, even if it can be called sleeping.

"Ah, Ryouga-kun?"

I jump from my seat at the sudden voice. I quickly look at the source and find a surprised Kasumi at the entrance. Her face doesn't waste time changing colours and I find her lightly laughing at my reaction.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I startle you?" Kasumi apologizes, but her giggles still reach my ears.

"Yeah..." I admit it. I actually want to deny it; I feel ashamed at lowering my guard so much that even Kasumi was able to sneak up on me. I still admit the truth, though. For some reason, I can't bring myself to lie to her. It's not like any excuse I'd make would be believable anyway. "I thought you were out." I attempt to change the subject. I could do this much at least.

"No, I was just cleaning up upstairs." Kasumi answers me cheerfully and comes closer to me. I watch her sit on the couch, taking Ranma's place, and I return to my spot as well.

"Is that so? No wonder Ranma and I didn't hear you." I tell her simply.

"Ranma's home?" She gives me a questioning look from across the couch.

"Yeah. He just went to take a bath." I don't have much to say, so I just answer her questions.

"I see. So you came with him. That means everybody else is still out."

I somehow get a hidden meaning behind her words, but I don't think Kasumi would be making fun of me, so I just laugh bitterly.

"Oh, right! How rude of me, I forgot to serve you some tea." Kasumi hurriedly stands up.

"There's no need for that! Really!" I try to convince her, but even Kasumi can be stubborn.

"Don't be ridiculous, please! You're Akane and Ranma's friend, right? How could I leave you like this?"

Two can play this game. If Kasumi decides to be like that, then so can I. "Fine, but let me help you with your chores afterwards in return."

"What?" Kasumi stands there looking surprised at my words. "I can't do that..."

"Then I can't accept your kindness." Looking at Kasumi, she seems torn on what to do. I smile and tell her, "Please, just relax for a while. You've been working hard since early morning, right?"

"Huh? But..."

"Look, you need to take it easy every once in a while. Otherwise you'll get torn apart."

Kasumi looks at me as if considering my words. I'm actually surprised I even said that. I don't usually stick my nose into the affairs of others, but when I look at Kasumi, I feel distressed. I feel like I need to help her, even if just a little bit. Besides, I know fully well how working on something constantly can be. My obsession on beating Ranma must have done more harm than good.

"Well?" I pressure her to speak.

"A-All right... Then I guess I'll keep you company! It's the least I could do." Kasumi smiles at me and returns to her seat.

She said she'll keep me company, but we only listen to silence. With her sitting across of me, at the other end of the couch, I can't help but turn my head to look at her. She was looking at something outside. I wonder what her eyes could be focusing on. I find myself staring. I can't avert my eyes nor can I move them. It's as if I'm bewitched under her spell. Kasumi is special; there's something about her that attracts me to her. I wonder what it is... I feel like she could break easily and I should do something about it.

As if feeling my eyes on her, her face turns towards me wearing a confused look. I quickly look away from her, but Kasumi laughs lightly at my reaction.

I stay there feeling awkward. First, I had something to do, which was my staring, but now the silence is getting really annoying. I should say something.

"Say," we turn and speak at each other simultaneously.

Slightly surprised, I tell her, "You go first."

"Um, well, I've been wondering, Ryouga-kun..." Kasumi speaks, but she seems hesitant.

"Yes?" I wait for her to continue.

"Do you enjoy fighting, Ryouga-kun?" Kasumi asks.

"Huh?" I blink a few times at the unexpected question. "I suppose. I don't like fighting weaker people, though."

"Well, then, do you find martial arts difficult to practice?" Kasumi shoots another strange question.

"That depends, I guess. It's not that hard if you're dedicated enough." I answer while scratching my head. "Why do you ask?"

"Hmm..." Kasumi looks down at the floor, as if collecting her thoughts. "A long time ago, father used to teach me martial arts."

A look of surprise spreads across my face. Maybe even shock. Kasumi used to practice the art? I find that very hard to even imagine.

"Nabiki wasn't interested and Akane was too young, so I had too practice alone." Kasumi continues. "But then, after mother died, I had to quit in order to take care of my family."

I cross my arms and listen to her, giving Kasumi my full attention. I think I'm getting interested in her. I haven't seen Kasumi like this before. It almost feels like I hadn't known her until now.

"Throwing the art away back then felt like I was throwing a part of myself with it. I liked the practice sessions with father and always looked forward to the next time he would teach me something new. I think... I still feel a gap in myself from time to time."

"Well," I finally speak. "It couldn't be helped, right? You had your family to tend to, didn't you?" While I say this, I wonder what her point is. Why say all of this to me?

"Yes, but I want to remember. I want to remember those times." Kasumi looks at me through her dark eyes. "S-so..."

"So...?" I urge her to continue. This conversation feels weird.

"Would you... help me, Ryouga-kun?" Kasumi's eyes seem full with expectation.

"M-Me!" I stare at her, puzzled. "Why me?"

"I couldn't ask Ranma, and I don't want anyone to know."

"That Ranma may have a rotten mouth, but he can keep his secrets." I smirk for a moment at myself and return to her. "W-Well, I don't really mind, but what do you want me to do?"

"Really!" Kasumi smiles at me. She suddenly gets closer, making me feel uncomfortable, with her being not too far from my face. "It's not much; I just want you to teach me."

"Teach you...?"

"Yes, martial arts. Help me remember."

I almost opened my mouth to refuse this instant. However, I can't find the words to refuse her. I just don't have the power to do it. I don't think I'm good enough to be a teacher nor do I think it is right to do it. I feel like I might corrupt her or something. But in the end, I can't refuse. I feel obliged to help her. "Sure." I give Kasumi a simple answer.

"Really! Thank you!" Kasumi grabs my hand, laughing. Now I definitely feel uncomfortable.

"But my style is a mixed bag of other styles. It's quite different than what your father used to teach you." I weakly attempt to get her to change her mind.

"Unn." Kasumi shakes her head. "It doesn't matter."

I sigh dejectedly. I expected as much. My resistance is futile. Well, she's pretty happy about it, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

"It's a promise then?" Kasumi asks for confirmation.

"Yeah, I promise to help you out." I tell her in a clear voice.

She looks at me with her warm smile for a moment, and it naturally fills me with warmth. Kasumi seems like an angel from the heavens. The fact that this angel is smiling upon me makes my heart shake in a similar way when I'm with Akane. It's really strange. I always believed that my feelings for Akane were love, but in the case of Kasumi... I don't think I love her... Or do I? I can never understand my own feelings too well. But it doesn't make sense, why would I have such strong emotions towards Kasumi? I barely spend any time around her. This is ridiculous.

Luckily, Kasumi comes to my rescue by breaking my repulsive train of thought. "Oh, my!" Flustered, she jumps from her position looking at the clock. "Look at the time! I still have Akane's room to clean up." Kasumi quickly runs out of the room. "Sorry, Ryouga-kun!" I hear her shout.

I sigh again as I hear her apology. "That was weird..." I rest my head again and stare at the ceiling. Doing this makes me remember how tired I am.

I keep thinking of what Kasumi was saying for a while, but something else suddenly comes to mind. I find what Ranma told me earlier return to me for some reason. No one is forcing me to stay, eh? Ranma's words remind me of something; something that happened a long time ago. I close my eyes and let the memories flood my mind. When was it? Who did it involve? It soon becomes clear to me as an image begins to construct in my mind.

It was a warm spring day back then. Actually, summer wasn't far off; maybe a couple of weeks away. I didn't like it. This warmth was annoying, especially when I was trying to concentrate.

"This is too hard..." I complained and raised my head at the tall man in front of me.

"Is it?" He smiled at me. "I am not forcing you to learn Magecraft. You could quit if you want."

"B-But! I wanna be strong like you! Neesan is already much stronger than me!"

He took his big hand and rested it on my head. Seemingly unaware of his strength, he roughly petted it. However, I enjoyed the feeling of his hand brushing away at my head. "Well, you do have a lot of mana, so you might get the hang of it soon." He chuckled.

"But how soon is soon?" I lowered my gaze from him. "I... I don't want to be useless."

He suddenly kneeled down and took my small body into his arms. I widened my eyes and almost cried in an instant, but I held it in. Even as a kid, I wouldn't want to show any weakness to anybody, especially not him...

"Don't worry, Ryouga. You're not useless. Being with me is enough."

"Father..." Tears almost flowed down, but they were stopped by a shout.

"Hey, Ryouga! Stop being a crybaby!" Someone tugged on my shirt from behind. After releasing me, I looked behind me and found myself staring into an angry face.

"N-Neesan... What's wrong?" I looked up at her asked her nervously. She was a bit taller than me back then.

"Argh, Really! You're hopeless!" She took my hand and pulled me away. I thought I heard my father chuckle a bit to himself, but I didn't have the time to check. We had been on a trip on that day, so I was a bit worried we might get lost or something being pulled like this, but I let her lead me on anyway. I thought that I just worried too much. "This is how you do it. Let me teach you."

"Uh-huh..." I nodded at her. I listened to her boring lecture attentively.

"You need to pronounce the words correctly. The words! Don't just let your mana flow like crazy; that's just a waste of power." She paused for a moment. "...Are you listening?"

"Uh, y-yeah, I am." I nodded furiously as not to upset her. "Thank you, neesan. I really appreciate this." I smiled brightly at her.

"Hmm, w-well..." She blushed a little at my gratitude. "You should review every day, and memorize the vocabulary."

"I will!" I laughed a bit and hugged her.

"Hey, what are you doing! Stop it!" She struggled slightly, but didn't force me off.

I simply laughed and snuggled even closer to her. Her warmth was really enjoyable, similar yet different from the heat the glaring sun was casting upon us. It made me want to hold on to her like this forever. I could hear the sound of her heartbeat traveling through her body to my ears like music. There was also something else. While unnoticeable from a distance, she gave off a pleasant smell. I didn't think it was perfume since she didn't use them. Maybe it was her shampoo, or perhaps... It could be her flowing mana, whether it can be smelled or not is a mystery to me. I didn't care about that, though. I just stood there and enjoyed the feeling of her close to me. My sister meant everything to me back then. As she took great care of me, my feelings towards her grew each passing day. I even thought at one point that we will always be together, sharing an unbreakable bond. So much for that...

"Cut it out already! This is so embarrassing..." I could almost feel the heat of her redden cheeks.

"Thank you." I whispered my thanks again and finally backed off afterwards, grinning like an idiot.

"Ryouga..." Her eyes looked like they were filled with emotion. I briefly wondered what might be going through her mind. It's too bad her attitude suddenly changed, or should I say, returned to normal. "RYOUGA!" She pulled my cheek violently.

"Ow! Ow-ow-ow-ow!" I screamed out in pain. Her cheeks were still red, but I didn't know if that was because of embarrassment or anger.

"Didn't I tell you to stop?" She pulled, inflicting more pain to my poor face.

"I'm-I'm sorry!" I started to cry. "Neesan, please stop!" Tears flooded my face and started to wet her hand. She finally stopped her punishment on me as she saw my pathetic pleads.

"Oh, hey, don't cry! You're a boy, aren't you?" This time, my sister was the one who hugged me. "Sorry, I got a bit angry." She desperately tried to calm me. She seemed kind of distressed. Then I felt her soft lips brush on my forehead. Her kiss was light like the wind, but it was more than enough to make me stop. Maybe it was the surprise that did it; I don't know.

However, I think I liked it. She was blushing again, probably embarrassed. We stood there for a while staring at each other. I wanted to say something, anything, to break this silence, but I couldn't find the words and she beat me to it.

"Let's go." She took my hand pulled me from my spot. "Father is probably waiting for us."

"Yeah." I followed silently. Five minutes later we stop. I looked around and found ourselves in an area surrounded by trees. I didn't want to admit it, but I jumped at the worst, and I was unfortunately right in my assumption.

"I think we're lost." She told me bluntly.

"Eeeh?" I was starting to get worried.

"Don't worry! I'll get us out of here!" Her efforts to encourage me failed. I could easily see some fear in her eyes despite her words.

"Yeah." I nodded at her, trying my best not to start crying again. I may not want to show my weak side, but I couldn't help it sometimes.

"Let's try going back the way we came from." She pulled me around again.

In the end, we walked for hours, always making a wrong turn here and there. Every pathway was the same. They all looked so identical; I couldn't keep up with all the turns. My sister and I were confused. Every single tree didn't look much different than the other, it was hard to keep track of where we were going. It was starting to get dark. I was really scared. The only thing keeping me going thus far was the warmth of my sister's hand. I wanted to be like her. I wanted to be brave enough to endure this, but I am weak. I am so weak that I was a burden to her. There she was trying her best to save both of us, only to be slowed down by incompetence. I felt so useless... so weak. With these thoughts in my mind, I easily succumbed to my fear. I felt my body starting to shake, and my fatigue finally decided to show its ugly face. My feet felt like they were getting heavier by each passing step and I was flooding with sweat. Eventually, the lights around me turned themselves off as I collapsed to the ground, surrounding me in complete darkness.

"Ryou-Ryouga!" I heard a faint distressed voice calling my name. It was so faint that it seemed like the darkness had consumed it. "Hey! Ryouga! Wake up!" The faint voice returned, this time sounding even weaker. I felt someone's little hands shaking me roughly. "Ryouga! Please!" This time, I could barely make it out. My senses were starting to fade.

I wanted to move, but I couldn't. I wanted to cry out, but I couldn't. My body didn't listen to me. It merely stayed there motionless on the cold ground. I'm sorry, I wanted to say. The words couldn't even reach my mouth. I'm sorry for being weak, I tried again. I wanted to apologise, but I am too weak for even that. The only things I was able to feel were the faint voice my ears picked up and the droplets of cold salty water slowly falling on my face and occasionally reaching my mouth.

I suddenly wake up, gasping for air. I realize I'm sweating like crazy as I look around the room. I rest my sweaty forehead on my hand. I can even feel the sweat through my bandanna. It seems Ranma hasn't returned yet; good. I don't want him seeing me like this.

I rest my head again on the couch, trying to relax my breathing. That dream... It's been a long time since I had that dream. That dream scares me. It used to make me shiver with fear. Now that I had it again after all this time, I realize that it still does. I raise my hands and stare at them. My hands are trembling. Actually, my whole arms are shaking violently. I feel my teeth shaking; I can even hear them.

I stand up and cover myself with my shaking arms. I am trembling. I feel fear. I am scared.

That dream... What happened afterwards? I always ask myself that question. The events that happened afterwards, those accursed events! What were they!

My body trembles even more violently now. I clutch my head scream out in pain. This pain seems like it's moving to the rest of my body. What is happening to me! I try to move around, but the only thing that seems to be doing is knocking around the furniture as I keep bumping into them. I finally sink to my knees in the middle of the room. My aching body seems to be getting worse. I feel cold yet hot at the same time.

"Argh... What's happening...?" I try to scream, but it only comes out a whisper. Even my voice is losing its strength. Suddenly, the pain in my head grows tenfold, causing me to arch backwards in agony. I fall to the ground clutching my head again. My voice finally found its power again and I start screaming uncontrollably.

As if lightening had struck me, I come to a sudden realization to what is happening. I can't believe I forgot. Even after all these years, this event should be burned in my mind. Between my screams, I cry. My tears flow freely because of my fear. Torn between fear and agony, I struggle to stand again.

But even so, why is this happening now? It's too soon. It's not the time yet. I know, though. No matter how much I cried or ran, the result would be the same. There is nothing I can do to stop it. This is my fate, and there is no running away from fate. My thoughts get distorted, leaving only one thought in my mind; the thought of _his_ arrival again. _He _is coming. _He_ is finally coming for me. _He_ is going to get me. _He_ is going to destroy me again, won't _he_? I cannot stop _him_. It's impossible for me to do so. There is only one thing I could do...

I look around the blurry room for the exit. Yes, that is the only thing I could do; run away. Run away like the coward I am. Before _he_ arrives, I would run away as not to involve anyone. Before my façade is crushed, I would leave. Harm me _he_ could, but I won't let _him_ touch others.

"Sto..." I search for my voice. It has weakened again. However, I try to find it regardless. Perhaps I could at least delay the arrival. "Stoppen... Sie das Übel... innen." As soon as I mutter the last word, I see light consume me, and I feel my overflowing mana warm me from within. It feels great; my pain is almost completely gone. Unfortunately, it only lasts for a few moments, and I remain standing there, left with an annoying headache. I ignore it and continue on my way.

After moving around for several minutes, I miraculously find the gates to the outside. I shakily walk towards it as fast as I could. But it looks like I'm not fast enough.

"Ryouga? Where the hell are you going so soon?" I hear Ranma's voice behind me.

"Shit." I curse under my breath and turn to face him. I don't even bother to straighten myself.

"Holy shit, Ryouga! What the fuck happened to you!" Ranma widens his eyes in surprise as he examines my pathetic state.

"N-None of your damn business, Saotome." I turn around, ignoring him. "This is goodbye." I start walking again, but Ranma grabs my shoulder.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ranma looks at me, but I avoid eye contact with him.

"I'm... leaving for good." I answer him truthfully without giving any details. "Please... take care of Akane for me, Ranma."

I attempt to leave but Ranma strengthens his grip on me. "What's gotten into you, man? Did you hit your head or something?"

I laugh bitterly at Ranma's question. "Something like that..." I shake him off and go on my way. Fortunately, he doesn't follow me and just stands there dumbfounded. It isn't long before I'm out of his vision.

I wonder aimlessly yet again. It's something I haven't done in a long time. I usually had a place to look for up until now, but not anymore. I am back to where I started; wondering aimlessly. Perhaps I'll find a new life soon. Maybe I'll find someone that will smile at me again. On the other hand, this may be a lesson. I don't think I deserve anyone's kindness. _His_ coming is proof enough. I am to be alone. That's how it was and how it will continue to be.

"Ugh." I feel nauseous. My steps are starting to feel heavy and my vision is blurry. Damn... It seems my spell is starting to ware off. Well, it will still be enough to buy some time. I want to get out of here as soon as possible, but my body feels heavy. It's as if it's disobeying my will. My body decides it had enough and forces me to collapse on the cold ground. I briefly hear the gasps of some passer bys, but they sound very distant, as if they were kilometers away.

I lie motionless on the ground. I don't feel like moving, even though I know I should. I'm really tired. I think some rest should be okay. Just for a few moments I want to relax, want to forget. I close my eyes and I feel a heavy weight lift off my shoulders. This feels good. The difference is like heaven and earth compared to a few moments ago. However, I know I must go on. I force my eyes open, and to my surprise, what seemed like seconds of rest was longer than I would expect.

I stare at familiar ceiling through my tired orbs. I blink a few times just to make sure my eyes aren't deceiving me. "What the hell?" I struggle to sit up, muttering.

"So you finally awake." A familiar voice hails me. I look at the person and grimace.

"Granny... What the hell am I doing here?" I snap angrily at the Amazon. I'm quite pissed off. My mood has been foul nearly the whole day.

"Is this how you talk to the people who saved you?" Cologne shakes her head in disgust at my behaviour. "Have some courtesy, young one."

I chuckle bitterly. "Save me...? Nobody can save me." I get off the bed and immediately regret it. I stand there in the room dazed for a few moments before speaking again. "How did I get here anyway? You haven't told me yet."

"More importantly, what happened to you, boy? My intuition tells me something dreadful is about to happen." Cologne avoids my question with another question.

I think of my words for a bit before answering her. "_He_ is going to come for me."

"He?" Cologne raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean, boy? Who is he? Make some sense!"

"Who? _He_ is _he_. That's all there is to it." I stare at the ground, my gaze fixed away from her. "_He_'s going to kill me."

Cologne probably thinks I've lost my mind at this point. I can't say I'm in a perfect state of mind, either. I can barely think.

"I'm leaving." I drag my self towards the nearest door I spot, ignoring Cologne's eyes as they watch me. Luckily, the door leads me outside of the room. Unfortunately, I see a hallway and several doors beyond it. I curse and turn back to Cologne. "Where's the exit?"

Sighing, she simply walks to the door and shouts a name. "Shampoo! Come here!"

Seconds later, Shampoo comes to us, running. "Y-yes?"

"Take Ryouga outside." Cologne simply tells her, pointing at me.

"Aiya!" Shampoo exclaims as she looks at me seemingly for the first time. "Pig boy not look so good."

"Whatever." I follow her.

"Pig boy no get lost now." She warns me, but I ignore her and keep staring at her back as I walk.

I try to think for a bit. My day has been pretty shitty. I've been restless all day. Anyway, I need to get out of here. I don't know how long the spell would last. I can almost feel its effect fading. Just another thing to add to my crappy day. The only moment of peace I had was my chat with Kasumi this afternoon. I lift my head up with wide eyes. That reminds me... Reminds me of her happy smile. She looked so happy back then. I lower my head again looking disturbed. I'm going to break the promise I made. I'm going to betray Kasumi. I can imagine Kasumi's face when she finds out... I'm going to break her. I'll shatter the person I was trying to protect.

I suddenly feel rage. I'm angry at myself. How could I do such a thing? I gave her my word, but here I am, planning on backstabbing her without her even knowing it.

I shake my head. I'm getting over myself. Kasumi would understand. If anyone would, it would be her.

"We here, pig boy." Shampoo interrupts my thoughts.

I look up at her and see the open door to the outside. With this I can leave, but... "There's something else, Shampoo." Wait, what the hell am I doing?

"Yes? What pig boy need?"

"Please... Take me to the Tendo dojo." What the fuck am I saying? First I leave there, and now I want to come back? Sometimes I wish I could beat some sense into myself. Is my desire to see her that strong? Do I want to apologize that badly? Going there now would only put her in danger; what will I do if something happens to her? I find these questions replaying themselves in my mind. I want to stop myself, but my body moves on its own. It follows my emotions, ignoring all logic, without my consent. This is unbelievable.

"Hmm... Well, Shampoo already finish with work, so Shampoo guess is okay to go see airen!" Shampoo seems excited. I don't care about that, though. Shampoo starts shouting at the location we came from. "Shampoo go visit airen! Be back after a while!"

"All right, Shampoo! Be careful!" Cologne's voice came back at us. And so we leave.

Few words are exchanged along the way. There isn't much to be said anyway, which is good; I'd rather not speak right now. The sound of the light nighttime breeze is enough. I smile dreamily as I walk behind Shampoo. My heart seems to beat faster with each passing step. This is called excitement, something I'm all too familiar with. As for why I am so excited, I don't know. All I know is that Kasumi is the cause of my excitement. But why? I wish to know the answer to that. I feel like I'm possessed by something. It moves me like a puppet to go see her. I can only admit that I am attracted to her somehow. I never felt much towards her, but now all of a sudden, she feels valuable. What horrible timing. Whatever it is that I'm experiencing, why couldn't it happen before? Of all times for this to happen...

As I keep walking behind Shampoo, I feel my heart ache more so with each passing step. This is called sadness. I'm very familiar with this as well. The fact that I'm going to say "no" to Kasumi makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. I hate myself for attempting to do it. How would she react? She's going to hate me, won't she? After what I told her earlier, why won't she? I feel horrible.

I look at the full moon and I sigh at it all. Unfortunately, sighing won't solve my problems. I have a lot more to worry about right now.

"We here!" Shampoo suddenly stops. I look beyond her body and see the gates leading to the dojo. Ignoring me, Shampoo rushes towards the house.

"Might as well get this over with." I still can't believe I've come back here with my own accord. Looking at the gates makes me want to run away. I shouldn't be here. My life here has ended the moment _he_ declared _his_ arrival. Despite myself I walk towards it. Just a little bit. I only need little time to finish my business here and I'll be off. I try to reassure myself, but I still feel slightly nervous.

I walk through the gates and stand in front of the door. For a moment, I think whether to knock on the door or not. I decide not to and rudely barge in like I owned the place.

Once inside, I hear the shouts of Ranma and Shampoo arguing. Needing someone to speak to, I follow the voices carefully as not to get lost. I can't afford to get lost now. I finally find myself back in the living room. Despite standing there at the entrance, nobody seems to notice my presence.

In the room, I see Ranma getting crushed into one of Shampoo's hugs on the floor. Akane-san was there, too, looking ready to sink Ranma deeper into the ground. There were also Ranma's father and Tendo-san, playing a game of shougi at their usual spot. The room gives off a lively atmosphere. Looking at it makes me feel depressed. To think that I won't see this scene again...

"Hello." I speak up, causing everyone to look at me. I see the shougi players wave at me briefly in greeting before returning to their game.

"Ryouga-kun!" Akane-san's twisted angry face changes to a smiling one when she sees me. "Hi! When did you come in?"

"Just now." I answer her. I try to smile back at her. I don't think I succeed at making a pleasant smile, though.

Akane-san frowns and says, "Ryouga-kun... You look pale. Are you feeling all right?" She sounds concerned.

"I'm fine." I avert my gaze away from her. Looking at her pains me and I can't bear it.

"Oh, hey, Ryouga!" I find Saotome standing in front of me. "You're back, I see..." Ranma snickers, much to my annoyance. "What happened to all the serious talk a while ago? I guess it was just that; just talk, eh?"

"Shut up, Saotome." I growl at him. "I have business here."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Ranma gets interrupted with a punch in the stomach. "Argh!"

"Lay off, jerk!" Akane-san scolds him. "Go back to your bimbo for all I care!" She returns her smiling face back to me and asks, "So what did you want, Ryouga-kun?"

"Um, well... Is Kasumi around?" Akane-san's face changes for moment as I ask this. "I need to speak with her." I add.

"Yes, she's here, but..." Akane-san looks a bit confused, probably because of my question. "Kasumi is taking a bath right now."

Fuck. Just my luck...

"What do you want with her anyway, pork butt?" Ranma asks after recovering from his beating.

"That's none of your business, Saotome!" I glare at him. "Piss off, jerk!"

Ranma smiles mischievously before his next words. Ranma puts his hand into his pockets while showing me his stupid grin and tells me, "Hey, you aren't two-timing by any chance, are you?"

I get angry at his words. I don't know why, but that seriously pisses me off. I'm actually shaking in rage from my spot.

"Huh? What?" Akane-san exchanges looks between Ranma and I, seemingly confused.

"So I was right, eh?" Ranma says as he notices my reaction.

"Fuck you, Ranma!" I shout and jump at him with a punch. Unfortunately, he avoids my strike with ease. I stumble for a bit before looking back at him, confused. To be honest, I'm not really in that good of a shape to fight. I still have a horrible headache that seems to get worse each passing minute.

"Damn, did you get slower, Ryouga? It's almost like you were moving in slow motion." Ranma laughs at my state. This does nothing but infuriate me even further despite my aching head.

"Ranma! Stop picking on him!" Akane-san sends another punch at Ranma, which he simply ducks under.

"Hey, lay off, Akane. I need my fun." Ranma tells her in annoyance. I see an opening while he's distracted and lung at him.

"DIE, SAOTOME!" Damn, I really shouldn't shout too loud; it makes my head spin. It doesn't help my head any better that Ranma somehow saw it coming.

"Whoa! That was close." Ranma sidesteps my blow. "You're too sloppy!" Ranma grabs my arm and throws me outside towards the pond. Normally, I'd straighten myself before collision, but this time I land head first next to the pond. I'm lucky I didn't fall into it.

I clutch my head and slowly get up from the ground. I see Ranma coming to join me under the moonlight. Ranma's image slightly blurs for a moment and I realize that I'm in no shape to be fighting a one-sided battle with Ranma. But I don't give a damn. I'd die before giving in to that arrogant bastard.

"Man... I almost feel like I'm bullying you." Ranma crosses his arms, smirking. "You're too weak. What, did you spend too much energy trying to get here?"

"Shut up!" Blinded by anger, I resume my one-sided battle with him. I throw punches, I throw kicks, but they are all out of rhythm and Ranma easily avoids them with little to no effort. It's as if he's not even trying.

"Man, this is boring." Ranma gets fed up and kicks me in the stomach, knocking the breath out of me. Before I could recover, he follows with a roundhouse kick to my face, knocking me backwards and into the ground.

"Ranma! Stop it!" Akane's distraught voice reaches my ears as I sit up. Is she concerned about me?

I groan and stand up. Impossible... That concern is not real. It must be not real, because I am not real. I am not the person she knows. I am just an illusion. An image that will disappear, that is what I am.

In an instant my world changes. Ranma is gone, the Tendo home is gone. All I see is the pitch black darkness. A dark world with me as its king. I look down at my hands finding it covered with blood. The amount is frightening; droplets of blood keep falling from my hand. It make matters worse, it is not my own. I look below my hands and to the ground, finding a small girl drowning in a pool of her own blood. It seems like she left this world with a look of horror on her face. I recognize the face... This girl, she's my...

I smile despite my feelings of horror. The smile transforms into small chuckles, and it doesn't take long for it to turn into full blown laughter. I laugh my heart out. And it feels good! This feels great!

"_No! Stop it!"_ My voice echoes in my head as my dark kingdom shatters, returning me to the real world. I gasp frantically, looking around. I see Ranma, Shampoo, and the Tendos looking at me with worried looks.

"Yo, man. You okay?" I turn my head towards Ranma. His voice doesn't seem clear, it sounds distorted. "You were spacing out there." Ranma steps forward.

"Get away from me!" I shout and step backwards carelessly causing me to trip and fall. I hide my face my hands. I can't bear to see their faces. But the feel of their eyes on me doesn't feel any better. I feel myself trembling again. I feel fear again. "It wasn't me! I didn't do it! _He_ did it! It wasn't me..." I blurt some nonsense in a loud voice. I can't think straight. All I feel is fear and the wetness on my hands. I am crying again... I am tainting myself with my weakness.

"Ryouga? Are you all right?" Ranma's shocked voice somehow reaches my ears.

My trembling comes to a sudden stop. Standing up, I calmly wipe my tears away. Finally, I look at Ranma. "Hello, Ranma." I chuckle. This is magnificent. I feel so good, so free. I breathe some nice fresh oxygen into my lungs.

"What?" Ranma looks taken aback at my greeting. I just smile at him. It's expected of him to be confused.

"You know, that wasn't a very nice thing to do, Ranma." I calmly speak to him. "I mean, I wasn't in a very good shape, was I? Besides, _he_ isn't strong enough to fight in a state like that and you know it."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ranma seems to get annoyed.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm talking about your incompetence as a martial artist. I hate weaklings like you." I chuckle.

"What did you call me, Ryouga? You want another beating?" Ranma takes a stance.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in weak morons like you." I put my hands into my pockets and walk away.

"Ryouga, you... I'll show you who's weak!" I smile at the sound of Ranma rushing towards me. Ranma gets close enough and throw a few hundred punches at me, but I leave him there attacking an after image as I stare at his unprotected back.

Ranma stops as he realizes he's hitting nothing but air. However, before he could even turn, I kick him at his side and send sprawling some distance away on the ground. I could easily hear the sounds of some bones breaking when I kicked him.

Writhing in pain, he looks at my smiling face with total shock. "H-how...?"

"That must have hurt your fragile body quite a bit." I walk slowly towards him. I grab him by his hair and lift him until he could see my face. "Too bad for you, Ranma, I am not as weak as _him_. Personally, I can't believe you were so much trouble for _him_." I laugh at Ranma's confused look. "Oh, well. It doesn't matter much. You'll die here anyway." I punch him in the face making him fly into the air for moments and fall violently. I briefly wonder how many of his bones I've broken so far.

"Ranma!" I hear a familiar female voice. I look and see Akane running towards her fallen fiancé. It doesn't take long for Shampoo to recover from her shock and join her.

I walk towards Ranma's tattered body and the girls. "Akane..." I look at the woman who has stolen my heart.

"Ryouga! What are you doing?" She bursts into tears and buries her face into Ranma's body. "Ranma!"

I turn to Ranma and see that he's still breathing. Not bad... "Step aside, Akane. I'm not done with him yet. I'll show him what it's like to mess with me."

"Pig boy... Shampoo kill you!" Shampoo stands between us. A remarkable action. Too bad she won't live to tell the tale of opposing me. She jumps at me, but before she could do anything, she finds her face getting crushed within my grip. Shampoo yells in agony as I shatter her cheeck bones. Her face is small, so my hand can easily access to most for her vital bones. I break the sides of her chin next. She screams, but it must be getting painful even to do that.

"Ryouga, you fucking bastard..." I stop from tormenting Shampoo for a moment and look at Ranma. He woke up, that was quick. I smile and dispose of Shampoo without giving her the final blow. I leave her limp body on the ground and face Ranma. There's no need to waste my time on her with Ranma around.

"Hey, Ranma. Glad you could join us again." I ignore Akane and reach out to Ranma.

"That's enough, boy!" I stop and turn. Genma and Soun stand there facing me, looking quite... displeased.

"This is between Ranma and I." I tell them calmly. "Stay out of it, unless you want to suffer that same fate as Shampoo."

The two older men look at each other before coming at me at once. I sigh and have them lie on the ground all the while staining it with their blood. They couldn't even see my movement as I slashed them with my chi-infused bandanna.

"Morons." I leave them there to die from blood loss and head back to Ranma. To my disappointment, he's still lying there with Akane.

"Pop!" Ranma looks at me with pure rage as I near him. "Ryouga, you son of a bitch! Why are you doing this?"

I look at Akane while answering him. She must have gone into shock seeing her own father like that. "You still don't get it?" I brush Akane's head softly with my hands. "You should know by now that I am not _him_."

"What the fuck do you mean?" Ranma asks again.

"I am a monster. _He_ just denies it. _He_ refuses to believe that _he_'s not human." I look back at Ranma. "Unlike _him_, I have no qualms against killing in order to win."

Ranma looks at me in horror.

I chuckle and ask, "Do you get it now?"

"I'm going to kill you, Ryouga..." Ranma looks angry again. He probably didn't get most of what I said.

I laugh at Ranma's words. "No. Actually, you're going to die here." I grab Ranma by the neck and raise his limp body to my level. "Die, Saotome."

An icy scream stops me from my next action. "Ryouga-kun?"

I drop Ranma and see Kasumi standing by the house. She's shaking with a shocked face. "Oh, Kasumi-san..." I feel a strong desire when I see her. The desire to... have her.

"What's going on?" Kasumi seems like she might start crying at any moment. She looks quite scared. Well, with all those bloody and broken bodies on the ground, who wouldn't?

I take one step towards her, but then I drop to my knees, my hands on my throat. "Of all times..." I gasp for some air.

"Ryouga-kun! Are you okay?" Kasumi gets closer to me.

"Kasumi! Get away from him!" Ranma shouts with all his power.

"Ranma? What happened to you? Oh...!" Kasumi finally broke down and her tears flowed.

I'm barely aware of what's going on around me. A burning sensation at my throat is stopping me from thinking properly. An amazing thirst gets the best of me. I grab Kasumi and jump away over the rooftops of Nerima.

"AHH!" Kasumi screams at my sudden action.

"Kasumi! DAMMIT!" Ranma struggles to move, but he remains there on his spot.

I drop to an alleyway hidden from the view of people.

I keep Kasumi into a tight embrace. My hot breath tickles her beautiful neck.

"Ryouga-kun, what are...?" I hold her face and silence her with a kiss. "Ummph!"

To my surprise, she doesn't resist and I find myself exploring her mouth with my tongue. My body does its job naturally; it discards what my mind wants it to do. With my mind out of the picture, I continue to violate her mouth. It only lasts for a few seconds, and I unlock my mouth from hers, leaving her gasping for breath.

"Ryou-" I kiss her neck and she quiets. I stay there for a moment and then force my fangs into her neck, drawing some blood. "Ah! What...?" Kasumi doesn't have the time to look shocked and tries to scream.

I hold Kasumi tight and continue to suck the life out of her. Kasumi's taste is glorious. I'm having my best meal in years. I finally understand my sudden attraction towards her. It becomes clear to me like the sun on a cloudless day.

Kasumi's warm body gradually turns cold as I devour her.

I finish and open my eyes. Kasumi's now lifeless body is in my arms... I look at her face and weep. I cry like I have never before. I hug her tightly, but gently, and freely let out my loud sobs. My body trembles from sadness. Sadness that I am familiar with. Sadness that I didn't want to experience again. It came back to me. This time, however, it rains like it never has before. Tears fall, sweat falls, and even her blood falls from my mouth.

It was all _his_ fault.

And so I scream in frustration, sadness, and agony... A scream that splits the town in half.

It was all _my_ fault.

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To be continued...

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Author's Notes:

Ah, now where shall I begin?

I first got this idea some time in August. I told myself, "What if Ryouga had a sister?" Since then, I started playing around with the idea of Ryouga's past, and I somehow decided to turn it into a Fate/stay night and Tsukihime crossover.

The dark theme of this story proved to be quite a challenge. This is my first darkfic, you see. It took me some time to complete this chapter and I hope the process would be shorter next time. ;

Both Fate and Tsukihime are Japanese visual novels. I decided to make it so that knowledge of them wasn't necessary in order to enjoy this story. I highly recommend reading them though if you can read Japanese! Tsukihime has an anime and a manga series, Fate will be getting one some time next year.

Anyway, more things will be explained about Ryouga the next chapter. I won't say much, but Nerima won't be fond of Ryouga anymore, and several people would try to do some horrible things to him. Please look forward to it.

Now that I finished with this story, I can work on other things that need some attention.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Ranma belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. Fate/stay night and Tsukihime are the property of TYPE-MOON. No profit is gained from this work.

"..." Japanese speech.

"There's something I haven't told you... I'm a Magi."

After coming back into town one day, he became the cause of strange events in town.

And so, his life was changed.

Fate/endless night

By

Dark Master Schmidt

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Chapter 2: The Monster's Sin.

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The cold wind gently strokes my face. It tries to sooth me; it tries to please me. Its efforts fail to encourage me. I just sit there staring into a piece of paper in my hand, barely noticing the wind.

I feel powerless. I can't do anything but read this ragged up article. How many hours has it been? How many times have I read it? I find myself unable to answer. I just go at it like a broken record, and I read it one more time...

"Young man terrorizes family. Four in critical condition, one unharmed but in critical mental condition and one other is missing." I reach my limit with that last sentence. I free my grip off the paper, leaving it for the wind to play with. I can't read anymore. I want to forget, but I have no right to do so.

I sigh and look over Nerima atop a high roof. The setting sun is giving the scenery a nice colourful shade of red. It looks beautiful, but who am I to appreciate beauty?

"I'm such an idiot..." I let the wind carry my whisper. I cover my face from this world. I don't think I'm allowed to look at it. "Perhaps I should..." I lower my palms to my warm neck. I can feel my blood gushing in my veins. My filthy blood... At that thought, I add some pressure into my hands. I increase my strength every passing second. It doesn't take long for me to start feeling lightheaded.

I suddenly let go and stretch my arms backwards. Who am I kidding? As much as I want to, I can't end it here. There are still things that need to be done.

I turn my face towards the figure next to me. Covered with a long cloth, it rests there unaware of the world's problems... My problems, actually. I smile sadly at the covered person. I'm such a horrible person, but I will do my best. This is the least I could do for her. I don't care what happens to me in the process.

I get up from my place and go kneel next to her covered face. I remove the garments and bestow weak sunlight on her face. Her peaceful lifeless face pains me. It makes me hate myself again. "Kasumi-san..." But, I will live on.

I whisper a spell under my breath and charge my palms with mana. I gently grab her small face. "From this day onward, I will live for you... Only for your sake will my body breathe life." I murmur to her.

And so, I release everything. Blinding light generates from the spot I'm holding my hand.

I look at her when it's over. Her face is gone. I press my hand at where it used to be. I feel nothing but the hard surface underneath. A little panicked, I look back at the garments and I see a smaller figure in the middle.

"I figured I'd screw up one way or another." I shake my head and almost laugh at my stupidity before the much smaller figure begins to stir.

Waiting some moments, a small hand finds its way out. The hand assists in removing the garments, and before long, a small girl finds her way out under the sun.

I am stunned and I stare at her, speechless. She returns my stare with a confused gaze of her own. She struggles to move in her overgrown clothes, trying to walk towards me.

Her innocent eyes examine me from head to toe. "Oniisan, who are you?"

I kneel down in front of her and smile at her, feeling very stupid at the moment. "Nobody... I'm just an idiot."

"Really? You're an idiot?" She makes a funny face and I laugh. But it doesn't take long for my laughter to turn into tears.

"Yeah." I hug her in an attempt to hide my anguished face. "I'm sorry."

"Mr. Idiot is sorry? Why?" She asks me in confusion.

"Because I did something horrible to you." Still hugging her, I answer her question.

"Really? You don't look like a bad person, Mr. Idiot." She sounds skeptical. How should I respond to that? "Say, who am I, oniisan?"

I let go of her small body and face her. "Don't you remember anything?" I ask her and she shakes her head. Another one of my screw ups. But perhaps, maybe this is a good thing. Sometimes it's better to forget. To not remember the horrible memories, to forget my monstrous deeds must be a blessing. However, I have no right to impose such selfish things on her. I mask my face with a smile and give the small girl her name. "Your name is Kasumi."

Kasumi frowns at me and repeats in her own voice. "My name is Kasumi...?"

"Yeah." Just by looking at her, I can tell something is bothering Kasumi. "What's wrong?" I ask her.

"Why can't I remember my name? Why can't I remember?" She looks down, slightly shivering. Is she cold, or is it fear? With her current mentality, the answer is obvious. I feel strong hatred towards myself.

Pushing my feelings aside, I speak to her. "It's my fault."

"Huh?" She looks at me with widen eyes. She seems relieved and surprised at the same time.

"I made a mistake and caused you to suffer. When I tried to fix it, you lost your memory." My words seem to change her face into many expressions. Is she angry at me? Is she afraid of me? Does she hate me? I don't mind if she does. I deserve her negative emotions towards me. Yet, at the same time, I can't allow negative emotions towards herself. I stand with a bright smile. "Don't worry!" I embrace her. Her height barely reaches my stomach. "I'll find your true self again. I'll make things right again for you."

"Really?" Her uncertainty asks.

"Of course," I reassuringly answer. "But first," I suddenly hold her high to my eye level. "I think we should get you something new to wear." I point at her state of dress with my gaze.

Kasumi looks at her clothes in confusion, seemingly noticing them for the first time. "Wow! Why are my clothes so big?"

"Err; let's just say that a lot has happened." I somehow manage to escape her question. Luckily, she doesn't care much and left it at that. Holding her in my arms in a more comfortable position, I walk from this rooftop. "Let's get a move on, shall we?"

"Okay!" She cheerfully exclaims.

I hum a song as I get to walk on solid earth. Kasumi really is special; I nearly forget all bothersome thoughts when she smiles at me. She never fails at changing the glum atmosphere that's around me whenever I go. Even in this state, she's losing me in her haze.

Kasumi tugs on my sleeve with a frown. "Where are we going?"

Only at her question I realize that I just walked into the park. I laugh sheepishly and turn back.

"Do you really know where you're going?" Kasumi looks at me skeptically. She practically saw right through me.

"Uh... Of course I do! We're going to a clothes store, aren't we?" I try to cover up my weakness frantically. I look around and walk towards wherever there's a crowd of people. I hope to find a store soon; I'm starting to attract unwanted attention to myself.

"Hey, over there! Over there!" Kasumi points in some direction cheerfully. I flow her with my eyes and spot a brightly-coloured shop in a street corner. It looks like a women's clothing store. I had hoped for something more general... I'm in no place to complain, though.

"Uh, right." I rush and enter the shop. I haven't even been five seconds before a female clerk came to greet me.

"Hello! How may I help you?" She smiles brightly at me. Her presence makes me feel uncomfortable somehow.

"I, uh... Need something for her to wear." I gesture at the girl in my arms.

The clerk looks blankly at Kasumi for a moment before smiling at her. "My! What big clothes you're wearing! What are you doing in those, sweetie?"

I get nervous for a second, but before I could make up any excuse, Kasumi starts to say something.

"Haha," Kasumi laughs sweetly. "Well, let's just say that a lot has happened."

Wow. I let out some chuckles at her cover up. I can never beat her.

"Oh, is that so?" She laughs at Kasumi's expression. "I have just the thing for you. Follow me." And so we do.

Everything seems to go smoothly. After getting her some undergarments, the clerk shows her a variety of dresses. Kasumi seems delighted and picks one of them up.

"I want to try this one!" She exclaims to the clerk.

"All right. Right this way." She takes Kasumi with her to what I assume is the changing room.

A few minutes later, she came back running and laughing cheerfully. Well, she certainly seems to be having fun for some reason...

"What do you think, oniisan!" Kasumi beams at me, showing off her dress. It's a light blue sundress that hung from her shoulders. Apparently, it comes with a straw hat, it has blue ribbon of the same colour range tied around the top.

"You look really good." My answer is honest.

"Really!" She jumps with a wide smile.

"Uh, yeah. You look great." I fold my arms, trying to look unfazed. Well, next comes shoes and socks. She walks around with the clerk for some.

By then, I'm lost in my own thoughts. I can't have fun and waste time like this with her forever. Kasumi deserves better than to remain like this. I need to think of a method to restore her. In order to do so, I need the help of someone powerful in Magecraft. My skills aren't that great, unfortunately. Like a powerful sword, the amount of mana I posses is useless without a good wielder. Actually, I'm not exactly sure what went wrong. My intention wasn't for her to shrink into what appears to be a six-year-old version of Kasumi. What am I to do...?

Before I could sink deeper into my thoughts, my sleeve is tugged again. I look to find a cheerful Kasumi looking up at me.

"What do you think, oniisan!" Kasumi repeats her question from before. This time she's asking about her shoes, however. A pair of black shoes and white socks, actually. They have no special design to them, but they look good.

"They look good on you." I answer honestly again.

"Really!" Kasumi tugs my sleeve again in excitement.

"Yes. You look great." This time I try to smile at her.

Now that we're done, I stuff Kasumi's old clothes into my pack. I can't just throw them away... All right, we're about finished here. It's time to pay up. I take Kasumi with me to the cashier, along with the clerk.

It only took a few moments to calculate the cost.

"That would be a total of 16,520 yen, please." The cashier tells me with a fake smile.

I almost bit my lip when I heard that. That's... quite expensive. I suck it up and pay anyway; I can't go back now. After I get my change, I hurry to get out of this rip off store. Or maybe I just have no sense of value to fashion. Either way, I want out.

"Thank you! Please come again." The clerk's voice vanishes behind me as the door closes.

I'm glad that's over. What should we do now? I try to think of something while we walk. Just then, Kasumi tugs on my sleeve again. She just keeps doing that.

"Say, oniisan," Kasumi seems like she wants to ask me something.

"What is it?"

"Your name isn't really Idiot, is it?" She questions me.

I don't hold back and laugh at her question and also at myself. I can't believe I forgot to tell her my name!

"Well, actually, no." I suppress my laughter.

"I knew it! Then what is it?" Looks like she's excitedly anticipating my answer.

"It's Ryouga. Hibki Ryouga." I stop and look at her in the eye; those innocent eyes.

"Ah!" She exclaims. "That sounds familiar! I think I'm starting to remember." Kasumi holds her head and starts doing funny motions.

"Hey, cut it out. You're attracting unnecessary attention!" I hold her head tightly and she sticks out her tongue in embarrassment.

"Then tell me now then!" Kasumi repeats words in the same sentence. She's too excited to notice her funny speech patterns, though. "Who was I to you before?"

I blink at her question. "What do you mean?"

Kasumi reddens at my question. "You know what I mean! From when I could remember, what were we like?"

It seems Kasumi is asking me of my relationship with her. "Well..." I try to think of an answer. This is kind of important. If I screw up, it may come to bite me later. What am I supposed to say? Should I lie or be honest? I don't know... Perhaps I should be honest? I don't want to take advantage of her. What would emerge from telling her the truth?

No, this is not right. If I am honest, the truth may distance her from me. I need to be careful of her feelings. While I'm all for her hating me, I need her trust if I'm going to help her. This may be a good opportunity to gain her trust. I feel bad about lying, but it's for her own good. I don't care what happens to me. I don't care if she'll hate me once this is all over. I don't care what everybody would think. All I care about is restoring her. I had no right to do this to begin with.

"Ha! Well?" Kasumi urges me.

Ah, right. "Ahem..." Not that I decided what I should do, what is it that I should tell her? I figure Kasumi might feel pretty lonely now. I can relate to that myself. So what she needs is a loved one. Obviously, I can't be her lover. That would be ridiculous. So, my other option would be... Perhaps I don't have to completely lie to her after all...

I kneel down and look at her curious eyes. "You could say that I'm your brother."

"Ah...!" Kasumi looks a bit surprised. "S-So, oniisan is my oniisan! I see now!"

It's of ironic to be called that; Kasumi is technically older than me. But that doesn't matter now. What she needs is support from her family; since I can't just return her, I am forced to become one for her. At least, that's what I think.

"Well then, oniisan!" She takes my hand into her warm small palms. "Let's eat something! I'm hungry!"

Her demand for food made me realize the time. It's nighttime already now, and I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday myself. "Good idea." I grin and stand up. "Let's look for a good place to have dinner."

As we begin our search, Kasumi bounces cheerfully while holding my hand. If it's even possible, she seems more cheerful than she was a while ago. It must be the thought of food, or so I think.

"How about over there, oniisan?" She points somewhere merrily.

"Um, that's a bakery, Kasumi. I don't think bread and sweets are enough." I sigh.

"Silly oniisan. I meant the store next to it!" Kasumi puffs.

"Oh." I finally look at the store she meant. I'm a little embarrassed at this. I can never notice whatever's around me. Anyway, that's enough about me. It looks like a nice little café. That should be good enough. "All right. Looks good." I say sheepishly.

"Yay! Let's go! Let's go!" Kasumi pulls on my arm excitedly.

"All right already! Jeez!" Seriously now, there's no reason to try and pull my arm off! Oh well, at least it ensures me getting there.

After we're finally in, we are greeted by a waitress.

"Welcome! Table for two, sir?"

"Yes, please."

The waitress smiles and leads us to a small table by the window. I have Kasumi sit by my side rather than across of me. The waitress is prompt in handing us menus. I'm curious to know if Kasumi can read. I hope she didn't forget...

"Hey, oniisan! I want this!" She shows me her menu suddenly.

Well, I guess she still remembers that. Good. "So you made up your mind already?" I look at her choice and frown. "Kasumi, that's ice cream! Get something better."

"But I really want it, oniisan!" She frowns in annoyance.

"No."

"I want it!" Kasumi was nearly yelling now. It's starting to piss me off.

"Argh, all right." I agree in frustration.

"Really!" Kasumi gets excited again.

"But only if you can finish dinner." I'm not going down that easily though!

"Ehh, that's not fair, oniisan..."

"It's either that or nothing." I cross my arms stubbornly.

"Oh, fine! I'll show you! I'll eat it all!" Kasumi looks determined now. It's amazing how her face changes expressions so quickly.

Ah well. In the end, I end up deciding our meal. Uncertain what to order, I decide to get us some chicken sandwiches. I can't afford anything classier anyway. Not after buying those expensive clothes. Now that I think about it, I may need to buy more clothes for her. She's going to need more than one outfit; she may dirty or damage the current one in one way or another. Taking care of a kid is no joke; this is going to be rough.

I call the waitress and tell her our order. One sandwich is probably enough for Kasumi. "Three chicken sandwiches, please."

"Anything else? Drinks?"

"Water would be fine." Damn. I feel really cheap, but it can't be helped. I need to conserve my money.

"I want orange juice!" Kasumi exclaims.

"And one orange juice..." I feel like punching myself right now. Well, a glass of juice won't hurt, I guess.

After confirming our order, she leaves.

"So, oniisan." Kasumi starts a conversation. "How did I exactly lose my memory?" Kasumi asks curiously.

I look at her for a moment and word my answer carefully. "A horrible monster did this to you."

"Monster...?"

"Yeah. He suddenly appeared after a long sleep and was hungry for blood." I tell her sadly. The more I remember, the more painful it feels. "I was too weak and lost when I tried to fight him."

"That's mean! What happened to the monster?" Kasumi looks angry.

"I managed to make him leave somehow."

"So are you going to defeat him and bring my memories back?"

"Y, yeah. That's right." I can feel my voice stuttering. This conversation is starting to make me feel sick at myself.

"You beat him real good next time then, oniisan!" She smiles brightly at me, which does nothing but make me feel worse.

Fortunately, the waitress finally comes back with our order. She hands us with our food. The waitress places Kasumi's juice in front of her with a smile and leaves.

I give Kasumi her share and she gladly accepts it. "Be careful, it's hot." I warn her, but she's already eating it. I smile as she clumsily burns her lip.

"Ow..." Kasumi rubs her lip.

"I told you to be careful." I take a bite of my own sandwich. I instantly drop it back to the plate afterwards. "Ow!" I rub my lip.

"Haha! You burned yourself, too!" Kasumi laughs at my clumsiness.

"So what..." I grumble under my breath.

More carefully this time, Kasumi resumes her eating, and I do the same. Not much is said while we eat; I guess we're too busy trying to satisfy our hunger. I manage to finish up fairly quickly. It looks like I'm hungrier than I thought. But that should be enough.

I turn to Kasumi and find her about to finish up as well. She sucks her glass of juice dry with that long straw.

"I'm done!" Kasumi declares, with less energy than usual. Her eyes look tired. "Can I g-get ice cream now...?" She yawns while leaning back on her chair and closes her eyes slowly.

"Is she sleeping?" I ask myself and take a closer look. She fell asleep fairly quickly; I can hear light snores coming from her. She must have been really tired... Or it could be my inability to sustain her for very long. I can feel a bit drained myself.

At any rate, I can't just stay here. I hold her up in my arms and leave the café after paying.

I am again under the dark night skies. I walk randomly as I think. Where should I go? As I have concluded before, I'm going to need help, as I'm not powerful enough to help Kasumi. Besides, I lack income to support the both of us on the road. Being lost in the middle of nowhere wouldn't be good for her. I can't force a harsh life on her weak little body.

I guess I have no other choice. I can only think of one place to go. But, how can I show my face to her after such a long absence? What would she say? What would she think? I'm afraid to know the answer...

I stop and look around. It looks like I stumbled into the park again. I sigh. I just keep walking in circles.

Kasumi murmurs something in her sleep. Maybe I should set up camp here and think about it tomorrow.

Out of nowhere, I feel something unusual. It's my instincts; they're telling me to move. I don't even think, I act accordingly and make a hasty powerful jump forward. I don't look back as I do, but I could feel and hear the spot I was on blasting to bits. I carefully shield Kasumi from any debris that could fly her way.

As soon as I land, I turn around as soon as I can in panic. The person I see has overthrown all my expectations of my attacker.

Standing on her long cane, I see Cologne. She doesn't seem too happy, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why. I tighten my grip around Kasumi unconsciously, taking some steps backwards.

"Have you done, boy?" Her words send shivers down my spine. "Do you have any what you done!" Cologne is shouting now. I haven't seen her so angry before. The fact that it's all towards me doesn't make the fact any better.

I find myself unable to speak to her. What excuses can I make? I have none. As if knowing this, Cologne doesn't wait for my answer and charges at me at full force.

I don't know if it is coincidence and sheer luck, but I somehow manage to block some her strikes. Using one hand can only go so far, though, and a hit to my forehead sends me flying backwards.

Twisting in mid air, I land on the ground with my feet. I can already feel blood gushing under my bandanna. Cologne may not be physically strong like Ranma, but she sure as hell knows where to hit.

This is not good; I'm in no position to fight her, especially when I'm carrying Kasumi. Luckily, Kasumi hasn't woken up yet.

"Wait! She has nothing to do with this!" I try to convince Cologne.

"Then leave her! Your business is with me, and I believe that you shouldn't even be around that girl." Cologne yells at me harshly. Her words feel stronger than any blow she could deliver to me. And it's all true. I have no right to be by Kasumi's side, but... it's my duty.

I place Kasumi gently next to a random tree along with my backpack. Leaving her alone like this might be cruel, but I have not much of a choice in the matter to begin with. I will definitely come back for her one way or another. I'm not leaving her alone until I correct the error I've committed. That much I can promise.

I turn back to Cologne once I'm done. I'm glad she at least let me do this. I stand warily without much of intent to fight her. Does she plan to kill me? For some reason, I can see her doing that.

"Now then, boy." Cologne starts to speak. "Depending on your answer, I may change my judgments of you."

I say nothing and listen to her.

"Why did you do it? And how?" Cologne is sounding calm now. However, I get the feeling that it's only a façade of her true feelings. "I know very well that you're not powerful enough to do that."

Her questions make me feel very nervous. Frankly, I don't know what to say, but I decide to speak anyway. Even if it's not a good idea, I have to say something. "I..." I start to shiver. I'm suddenly remembering the sensation I had yesterday. The crushing of bones, the blood I spilled. It's all coming back to me. And my own feelings back then. I was overjoyed, delight made itself apparent at every strike I unleashed. _His_ actions were my own actions. "It wasn't me!" I nearly yell. "It was _his_ fault! Why do I have to take blame for _his_ actions!" I'm already yelling now. The rage I feel for myself knows no bounds.

Cologne looks stunned at my outburst. She may think I'm crazy. But let her think whatever she wants. I'm not _his_ pawn. I am myself. I am...

"You fool." Cologne's movements seem instantaneous. It didn't feel like a second has passed before I was struck powerfully with her stick. I'm flung into the air again, but I don't find it in me to correct my landing this time around, though.

I land roughly on my back, but that felt like nothing. What feels painful is the spot she stroke at. I get up forcibly. I don't have time to feel sorry at myself. I need to get on the defensive or I'll be killed.

This time, I decide to make the first strike. I charge forward with the full intent of crushing her. I don't normally go for the kill, but it's either that or be killed. I hit at her with a powerful punch, but I only feel the ground she was standing one connect. Looking away from the newly-created crater, I turn my head frantically in hope of spotting her, but I earn an unexpected blow to the face instead and whirl uncontrollably on the ground.

"Ugh." I groan as I get up. Damage done to me is minimal, but it still hurts like hell. I felt like I got hit 10 times on my face. Now that I think about it, that may be what actually happened. Speed, technique, skill... I'm outclassed in nearly everyway. It may be possible to somehow beat her with pure raw power, but I find that unlikely. "Why, you..."

Cologne is on the offensive again and I'm forced into a defensive stance. Once close enough, she swiftly swings that cane again and again to my face, successfully hitting me at every try. I can barely see her movement, let alone block. Finally, in one swift motion, Cologne sticks the lower edge of her cane into the upper part of my right forearm and twists it violently.

I scream in agony as I hear my elbow shatter. I am downed to one knee and try to bear the pain.

However, Cologne doesn't stop there. She then proceeds her assault by forcing me to my back. I feel her do that same jab again, but to my left leg this time, leading to another scream. I can feel blood coming down there. It looks like she tore through muscle rather than bones this time. Cologne finishes up by pinning me to the ground through my stomach next. The pain resulting from this is unimaginable. I never felt so much pain in my life. I can feel her cane tearing through my back as she adds more pressure.

I see blood. Yes, blood is gushing violently out of my belly every time Cologne twists that damn stick any further. The blood I'm starting to cough doesn't make matters any better.

She's very; too good, actually. Her technique is vastly superior to Ranma's.

"How does it feel, Ryouga?" Cologne asks. Her voice sounds cold. Void of all emotion, except for her anger; her hate. "How does it feel to have the same pain inflicted to you?"

It feels horrible. However, only by coughing more blood can I answer her question. But she is right. I had this coming to me. Cologne is not unjust in her actions. I deserve this, and I know it. There's nothing I can do now; I can only wait for her to finish me off.

On the other hand, if I die now, what would happen to Kasumi...? In the end, is my promise to her nothing but meaningless words? No, I can't accept that! Only I can help her, if I die, she will also follow. I'll get myself out of this predicament. I have to. I can't afford to break another promise to her. I just... can't.

However, it seems my body and mind are in disagreement. My vision is starting to get hazy. And I just acquired this painful headache to add to the mix. Wait, that doesn't feel right. I know this pain in my head... No, it can't be! It's too soon. How is this possible? I have to stop... "UGH!" My body suddenly jerks and I start shivering.

Cologne seems to notice something is wrong and edges away. "What the..."

By some wonder, I find the strength to get up. I don't even bother to pull Cologne's cane out. I'm too occupied in a battle of mind. But I know it too well. I can never win. Not against _him_.

I see Cologne looking at me warily and I try to say something. "R...Run...! I can't..." I scream in frustration. "Argh, dammit! Fuck off! This is _my_ fight..."

And so it finally ends. My mental battle with _him_ is over. The pain subsides and I can honestly not feel any better than I am now.

"Heh..." I smile and casually stand like nothing has ever happened. "Sorry, but I can't afford to get us both killed." I finally look at my opponent. Cologne seems pretty confused. "Hello, elder. What an honourable pleasure for me to meet you." I smile at her, completely forgetting the fact that I still have that stick of hers stuck in me.

"You..." Cologne takes some steps backwards. "Who are you? Your aura feels different."

I'm surprised. It looks like the old woman has finally figured it out. "I am Ryouga. Who else could I be?" I answer her honestly. I walk one step towards her. "It's just that I'm a bit different now. _He_ and I are the same." I look at my right arm and make some practice swings with it. "Not bad. It still feels a little sore, though."

"Your arm..." Cologne looks shocked.

"Was broken?" I complete the sentence for her. "I told you, I'm a little different now. But I've got to hand it to you; that was an excellent strike. My bones were shattered to little pieces." I finally pull her cane out and throw it casually towards her. "And I liked this shirt a lot too..." I rip my blood soaked shirt out and discard it. I look down to confirm it. And yes, the hole is left without a trace.

"That's impossible. You're a monster..." Cologne looks absolutely horrified. It makes me happy for her to think that.

"That's right. Good to see someone finally gets it." This time I frown at her. "I'm going to give you two options now. Either you leave, or continue to fight and die at my hands."

From Cologne's angered look, I can already tell what she decided on.

"Don't mock me, boy!" She swiftly grabs her cane, and strikes at me at full speed.

Before her stick could even reach me, I had already grabbed it in my hand. As a result, she was held in mid air along with it. "I can see your movements." And for the first time tonight, I manage to connect my punch to her stomach head on. I smirk as I watch Cologne fall to the ground like a dead fly. "Not so tough when hit, are you? I bet that hurt a lot. How many bones did I break?"

"You..." Cologne struggles to get up. Seeing her in such a weak state is a fascinating sight, to say the least. I can hardly contain my excitement.

I walk towards her to do more. I can't just stop now, can I?

_"Hehehe. Crush her..."_

I suddenly stop in my tracks. "Who...?" I scan the area for any strange presence with my eyes. However, I see nothing. I'm pretty certain I heard a girl's voice... To my surprise, the world around me begins to literally shatter like glass until there is nothing but a pitch black world.

This universe of pitch black darkness... I've been here before.

_"Hehehehe."_

I turn around to the sounds of giggles, and to my stupefaction, I find a small body. Or at least what is left of it. Its innards are all a bloody waste, with all sorts of inner body parts cut and torn outside of its proper place. One glance at the head leads me to assume it belonged once to a boy.

What's more horrifying is not that, but the fact that a young girl is sitting over him, pulling more viscera out.

I walk towards her for a closer look. She looks up at me once I stand directly in front of her. She has what could be beautiful long dark hair were it not stained with dark blood. Her azure eyes glitter sharply at me. Across her pretty face lies the wickedest smile I had ever seen.

_"Hehe. Will you feast with me?"_ Her words echo in my mind.

Strangely enough, I feel tempted at her words. I also find myself extending my arm towards her offering. But I suddenly stop. "You..." I snarl. "Who are you?" I take some steps away from her. I can't believe I almost fell for that.

As answer, I am rewarded with nothing but that wicked smile of hers. And just like how this world formed, this dark world suddenly breaks into pieces.

In a blink, I find myself standing in front of Cologne again. What's going on? I am utterly confused at what just happened. I rest my forehead on my hand and feel cold dampness there. I look at my hand see traces of my blood on it. I am reminded that it was bleeding earlier. I tear off my bandanna and throw it away. A blood-stained bandanna is worthless.

At any rate, I'll worry about what just happened later. After all, I still have Cologne to take care off. I shrug off my thoughts of the previous events and talk to Cologne. "Well, Cologne?"

Cologne spits some blood to the ground and struggles back to her feet. "Don't underestimate me... I can still go on."

I am impressed. Cologne isn't the elder of Joketsuzoku for nothing, after all. It's true, though. I don't think I did that much damage to her. Cologne managed to avoid getting a fatal hit at the last second. Regardless of that, this battle would have ended right there and then had I put more strength into that punch.

Cologne finally lunges at me again. In total synchronization with her movements, I avoid each and very swing she makes. She increases her speed, and so do I. She increases her precision, and so do I. However, she makes one last desperate jab that finds its way to my face. Or rather, where my face used to be before vanishing.

At my vanishing figure, Cologne wearily forms a defensive stance. I can only imagine the look of surprise on her face on my end.

"Over here!" I wave at her. It doesn't take her more than second to relocate me. Cologne widens her eyes as she sees me atop a street light some metres away. "Did you have fun playing with my shadow?" I smile at her. I jump back to solid ground and land next to the large pole. Looking at it for a moment, I get an interesting idea and grab it in a solid grip with my left hand. In one swift pull, I tear out the huge heavy pole out of its concrete.

Cologne readies herself for the following. She may have anticipated what I'm trying to do.

I only smirk at her as she does this. "Catch." As swiftly as I had pulled it out, I throw it towards her direction. At the speed it's going, there's no way Cologne could avoid that.

Cologne is left with no choice but to cut it in half, sending both halves falling to her side.

"Very good." I walk towards her, clapping my hands. "But you didn't catch it."

"Enough games!" Cologne readies her cane for another round.

I stop and frown. Cologne must have realized I've been only playing with her all this time. But she's right; it's about time I put an end to this. I don't have all night. "All right then. If you so insist, I'll put an end to your life right now." I say it as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

Can the old woman keep up with my speed? I wonder. I'm about to find out soon. As fast as I could get my body to move, I find myself instantly behind her. Before Cologne could realize that she's looking at an afterimage, I crush her within my grasp.

"Argh!" Cologne screams in pain. I hold her to my eyelevel and she snarls at me.

I laugh heartily at her predicament. "It looks like I win."

Cologne stares at me through my bangs. "You monster... Just who are you?"

"I've already told you. I am Hibiki Ryouga. Who else could I be?" I repeat my exact same answer from before.

"Don't lie to me!" Cologne growls angrily. "I know Ryouga all too well. You are not him!"

"Oh, _him_?" Maybe I should tell her more than that. Besides, she's going to die soon anyway. "So that's what this is all about. It's just about _him_, isn't it? _Him_ this, _him_ that." I shake my head at Cologne. "_He_ is none other than I. _He_ is I."

"Wh, what do you mean?" Cologne inquires further.

I am under no obligation to tell her anything, but I decide to humour her anyway. "It's exactly as it sounds. I am _him_, _he_ is I. _His_ memories are mine, and mine are _his_. _His_ thoughts are mine, and mine are _his_; an endless cycle."

At Cologne's confused look, I elaborate further.

"You still don't get it? We are not different entities. We are the same person. About the only difference between us is behaviour. Our goals are the same; our feelings are also the same. Yet, at the same time, our will is different. I have no qualms against killing you to survive, while _he_ is hesitant to do so."

"You're not making much sense..."

"Oh, I don't need to." I put more force into my arms. "You'll figure everything out in the other world."

Between Cologne's screams, I hear the first crack. I probably broke her left arm.

"Oniisan...?" A voice freezes my movements. I look towards the speaker and see her, Kasumi, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Well, with all that noise, can't say I'm surprised she's woken up.

I intentionally soften my grip around Cologne. As anticipated, she doesn't miss the chance and breaks free from my hold.

"Oniisan, what's going on?" Kasumi asks in confusion. Apparently, she hasn't seen much yet.

"Oh, it's nothing." I smile at her. "I was just discussing something my friend. She was just about to leave, too." I look at Cologne sharply. "Isn't that right, Cologne?"

In her state, Cologne doesn't have much of a choice. She's left with nothing but taking advantage of my generous offer. After all, she'll live to see another day. Something like that doesn't happen often after picking a fight with me.

"Feh." Cologne looks pretty resentful. I know how she feels, though. "Very well. However, you're going to regret doing this the next time we meet." With those big words, Cologne finally vanishes from my sight.

I'm sure I will... I keep my words to myself. It's pretty unfortunate that I got interrupted; whenever I don't finish my opponents off, they always come back to annoy me one way or another.

"What was that all about, oniisan?" Kasumi blinks at Colognes retreating figure.

"Nothing too important." I go to stand by her side. With one hand rested atop her head, I tilt it playfully. That's the second time she's interrupted me now. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I don't feel sleepy anymore!" Kasumi exclaims.

"Oh, really?" I ask her.

"So, how about that ice cream now?" She giggles a bit.

"So that's your plan." I chuckle at her. "I have a better idea."

"What is it?" Kasumi inquires curiously. She's probably wondering what could be better than ice cream. "By the way, what happened to your clothes, oniisan?"

"Oh, that. They got dirty, so I threw them away." I make up some excuse on the spot. It's not like I'm lying either, I am telling the truth. I head to my backpack, get a new shirt and wear it. All right, but I'm still missing a bandanna to keep my hair in place, so I get a new one from my pack. That will do for now, I think as I finish tying it up. I'll get a new pair of pants later.

I turn back to see Kasumi watching me intently. "Well, what was your idea?"

I hold Kasumi up within my arms. "As I was saying, instead of ice cream, how about I tell you an interesting story?" I grin.

"Story?" Kasumi looks skeptical. "What kind of story?"

"It's about a young boy and a monster." I tell her a little snippet.

Kasumi's eyes perk up a bit. It seems she's interested to what I have to say. "Oh, tell me!" She confirms my guess.

"Well then," I start my tale. "A long time ago, there was this little boy. He wasn't very healthy, and had to visit the hospital often."

"Oh, that sounds awful." Kasumi comments.

"Yeah, it is. He didn't like it. He felt so weak at times that he began to hate himself." I tell her sadly. "However, he had family that cared about him. He was really lucky to have them. They gave him support when he needed it. And also, there was someone else. Someone very important..."

"Who's that?" Kasumi asks curiously.

"Well..." I wear my pack with me and begin to walk along the streets. There's some place I need to go. "It was his friend. It may not sound too special, but it was to him. You see, he was a pretty lonely guy. Thanks to his bad health, it was hard of him to make any friends. But this girl was different. She accepted him for who he was and befriended him, which is why she is so special to him. She even was a frequent visitor whenever he was at the hospital. She used to encourage him whenever he felt sad. Often telling him, that even if he weren't strong, it didn't change anything. That it didn't matter. That she liked him regardless for the nice guy that he was.

"The days passed like usual. But then one day, an amazing thing happened. The boy was miraculously cured. It baffled the doctors greatly. The boy, on the other hand, was happy. He simply found himself not get so tired anymore. He was also stronger now."

"How did he get stronger?"

"I'll get to that soon, be patient." I smile at her and continue. "As I was saying, he got stronger. He was able to walk the streets like everybody else now. Walk, run, jump... He could do them all. His friend and family were happy for him, even if they didn't understand what actually had happened. They were so glad, that they didn't notice his change in behaviour. Or maybe they did, but chose to overlook it.

"Yes, he changed. Since he could go to school regularly now, interaction with people increased. It was a slow process, but it did happen. He himself had not noticed it either for a while. The only one who did was his friend, but she kept it to herself for the most part. Sometimes she gave him her protests. However, he had ignored her. It didn't take long before he was involved in fights. He didn't think much of them, but progressively, they got more violent. He liked it. He enjoyed fighting. He could feel that he was different. The boy was stronger than other kids.

"One day, he overdid it and broke someone's arm. The mess got bigger for him this time. Ever since he did it, they started to fear him. The children hardly go near him anymore. He never heard the end of it from his father. It may be then that his father noticed something was wrong... At one point, he was confronted with his friend again. She poured it all. All of her feelings got out. She told him of how much he had changed, and yet how his situation wasn't any different. More importantly, she told him of how he didn't have what she liked about him anymore; his niceness.

"It was then he had realized his situation. He hadn't made any progress at all. He was still lonely. He didn't do anything to change that fact. In actuality, he had worsened things for himself. He wasn't even himself anymore... That night she cried. She wanted the real him back, and so she cried for his sake. Her tears tore him apart. During that moment, he had realized something about her. He felt himself attached to her. She looked different to him, as if seeing her in a new light. Without even thinking, he dug his fangs into her neck. After coming back to his senses, he found her cold in his arms. He was horrified at himself."

"Eh! Why did he do that!"

"He felt good when he did it, but refused to believe it. His mind came to an abrupt stop afterwards. He found new hate in himself then. He couldn't accept what had happened, so he started to believe that a monster had done it. The following events went like a blur to him. He could hardly remember what he did anymore. One day, he had almost done the same thing to his sister, but was stopped by his father. He was furious at him. In the end, his father sealed the monster. As a result, the boy turned back to normal. But he felt different. As if he had done something that he couldn't undone. He felt that he had lived the life of someone else. Those horrible things that he had done felt like they were done by the hands of another. His hate grew. He began to despise the monster. The monster that he was. The monster that had given him a new life."

"Wow. That's kinda sad." Kasumi murmurs sadly.

"You think so?" I brush her hair as she rests her head on my shoulder. After receiving no response, I look at her and see that she had fallen asleep again. This girl... She's strong. It's unfortunate that I had done this to her. My other options weren't any better, so I am forced to have her like this. This is quite strange, I have never felt regret at my actions before.

I hate myself at being unable to control my hunger. If only I were complete, then maybe... If I were like sensei, then perhaps I could do it. As if I could be as amazing as someone like sensei to begin with, I think cynically at myself. That brings back memories...

That aside, I shift my thoughts to my plans. Well, now. It's been a while since I've been the dominant persona for such a long time. I wonder what triggered my appearance; after such a large amount of time, I thought it would be unlikely for me to walk this earth again. Perhaps it's true that nothing lasts forever. My guess is that the seal placed on me is weakening. What could the cause be, though?

No use thinking too much about that. I need to get things done. I am not as incompetent as _him_, so I'll take the most logical step. I'll directly confront the person that could help me. I wonder how she'll react when she sees me, though. What will she think after hearing my deeds...? I'll worry about persuading her later.

For now, something else is bothering me. I can't help but feel that someone or something is keeping _her_ eyes on me. I cannot sense a presence despite this, but I am certain that I am the object of interest to someone. After seeing that... vision, there's no doubting it. Her voice, she spoke directly into my mind. Who is she? It's also possible that I am being fooled into thinking it's a woman. Am I being watched at this very moment as well? This is getting ridiculous. So many questions without answers. I'm a little ticked off, so I decide to forget it.

I should change the subject. Thinking about that won't get anything solved. I'll have to wait for someone to directly confront me.

The streets are pretty quiet tonight. Actually, I think it's past midnight now. That might explain why there aren't people around.

Kasumi's light snoring attracts my attention. Letting her sleep all night like this feels like a crime. However, it can't be helped; I need to take advantage of the time I have. I'll be able to get her to sleep on a real bed eventually. "Oniisan, eh?" That may be true, in a sense. Back then, before she could die, I had her essence fused with mine, so we're practically related now. Undoing this is the problem at hand. She would die if I simply let her go, so that's out. Likewise, if I die, so would she. I need some more powerful means to do that before someone seeking my head could actually pull it off. In any typical story, I would be laughing my head off at my nemesis and proclaim it's impossible to reverse my doing. There's always a way to reverse it in the end, though. I must find that solution.

The reason why Kasumi shrank is probably because I lack the power to output her into a proper physical form. I might be able to have her in her original state if she were an astral projection, but I need to keep her body in good shape. Leaving her corpse to deteriorate would have caused the problem of creating a new body for her, if that's even possible.

At any rate, I need to get out of Nerima as soon as possible. Wasting anymore time here could lead to an unavoidable attack like earlier. Someone will follow me outside Nerima, of course, but finding me won't be as easy, especially with my fake background. The most important thing now is Kasumi's safety. I couldn't care less if someone wants to get killed by me, but I need to be wary of Kasumi.

That is especially a concern since I can't stray too far away from Kasumi. Once I'm far enough, she'll turn back into a lifeless corpse. I need to be really careful about that, even more so when _he_ doesn't have much control over Kasumi's essence.

I sigh dejectedly. The amount of problems I have seem to increase the more I give thought into them. But, it's my fault to begin with, so I have no right to complain. I can only carry this burden with my mouth shut.

I carefully shield Kasumi as I feel a cold breeze brush through me. It's getting awfully chilly; I need to hurry up.

Just as I'm about to make a leap, I hear some horrible snickering to my right.

"Good evening, young man." An old-looking bum comes out of the shadows, greeting me.

I protectively tighten my grip around Kasumi. This guy doesn't seem like an ordinary old man, though. I couldn't even sense him. He looks to be in his sixties. Despite his wrinkled old face and skinny body, he seems pretty energetic. He has a bald head and a thick beard. His teeth are pretty atrocious to look at. They make me wish he'd stop smiling. His worn out attire aren't too pleasing, either.

I look at him sharply. "Who are you?"

"Hohoho!" The old man laughs. "No need to get so alarmed, boy. I am not here to harm you."

As if he could, I think to myself. Maybe I should hear him out. Something about him feels odd... It's as if he was expecting to see me. If he tries anything funny, I wouldn't hesitate to end his life. "Well, what do you want?"

"Why are you so tense?" He edges closer to me. I don't even flinch at this, though. I'm too busy checking of any weird movements. "After all, I am only here to help you."

"I have no need for your help." I reply harshly. "What possibly could you do for me?"

"Now, now." The old man shakes his head. "No reason to get so upset. I suggest that you keep your voice down, you wouldn't want to awake the little princess, do you?" He points at Kasumi's sleeping figure.

The way he said it felt more like a threat than advice. He spoke the truth, however. I probably don't want Kasumi to see this. "Just get to the point already." I speak in a lower voice this time. "What do you want?" I repeat my question.

"Like I said earlier, I am here to assist you." To my disgust, the old man smiles again at me.

"I'm listening." I urge him to continue. I'm thinking that killing him might be a better idea. He's starting to annoy me.

"Oh, yes. Good." He chuckles. "So anyway, I have come to warn you of the following events."

"What do you mean?" I ask him, bewildered.

"Your future, boy!" He whispers sharply. "What else could I mean?" He says it like it was the most obvious thing.

"Have you lost your mind? Give me one good reason to bother with you anymore after wasting my time."

The old man only laughs off at my reaction. "That attitude will do you no good." He looks me in the eye, as if daring me to even try and leave. "Why don't you stand still for a minute?"

I widen my eyes in surprise at those words. I... I cannot move! "What the..."

"Oh, good." He shoots that smile again at me. "Now you can hear me out." He gets even closer to me. "I have come to speak of the path ahead of you. Now, I can't be too blunt, so you'll need to tie the strings together and figure things out."

I can do nothing but listen to the old man as he speaks.

"What you seek is power. In order to obtain it, blood will be shed." His eyes glitter in excitement. "Now others will also be after it. This is where it gets difficult. You will need to obtain the assistance of a supernatural being. This is a very crucial step. Never forget that. Once it's over, you'll be able to do whatever you want."

"You're not making any sense. What power are you talking about?" I grit my teeth at the old man.

"Perhaps not now, but everything will become clear to you eventually." He laughs. "Regret and destruction is the path you walk on." The old man turns his back to me and begins to walk. "Well then, that should be all. Make sure to get the power, boy. Till we meet again..." And like the old man had appeared, he vanishes within the shadows again.

Within that moment, I find myself able to move again. "Why that little..." I nearly yell in anger, but I quickly calm down. "Humph. Help me? Don't give me that crap. Once I find your ulterior motive, I'll personally be sure to give you what you deserve in full." The shadows remain quiet at my threats. Trying to tail him will do no good; that's no ordinary old goat. I don't even feel his presence anymore.

It looks like I now have two people keeping their eyes on me. I sigh as I look at the moon. Another thing to add into my pool of problems. To top that off, I may see Cologne again soon. Maybe I should stop playing around and kill my opponents instantly. Wasting time will only lead to blunders. My overconfidence is the only thing that may kill me. I need to be careful from now on.

I resume walking again, lost into a forest of my thoughts. I need to do something about Kasumi. What if I get caught into a battle with her around to witness it? I can't have that happening. She might get caught into it. Perhaps I should escape? That seems to be the most logical step. I'd hate to do it, but I don't have much of a choice in the matter. Pride be damned; Kasumi's safety is top priority. It's decided; I'll only fight when it's extremely necessary.

On the other hand, a situation may arise where I'll be forced to fight. I need to be prepared beforehand... I guess I have no choice in such a situation; I'll just have to fight defensively till I could make a run for it.

"Bah." I shake off my thoughts. I'll deal with my problems when I have to. For now, I just need to hurry up to my destination. I'll plan everything out properly when I get there.

With no one to interrupt me this time, I make powerful leaps upon the rooftops, challenging the wind with my speed. It's almost as if I'm flying. The experience is simply breathtaking.

Off with me to Fuyuki City. The place where this will all hopefully come to an end.

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To be continued...

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Author's Notes:

Yes! I finally finished this chapter! Rejoice! Okay, maybe that's not really a great accomplishment, but hey, it's finally here after several months of absence.

All right! Things are getting hotter now! I hope everything made sense. If not, things will get clearer when the next chapter's out. I hope...

And no, Ryouga isn't supposed to be a substitute for Sakura. (Nor is Kasumi to Shirou) Though, I can see why anyone would think that... ;

The last episode for Fate/stay night aired recently. If you're not watching, then you should! Go find yourself a batch torrent and watch the whole thing!

I hope reading this chapter was enjoyable. I'll try to get chapter 3 written quicker, but don't get your hopes up too much. I still have to work on The Wild Falcon, which seems more popular than this, so maybe I'll get working on that again.

Till we meet again...


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